Thursday, February 11, 2016

Busy Day at the GA

In
a very disappointing, but not wholly unexpected development, the Senate
Education and Health Committee reported SB734 on a straight party-linevote. We had some indication that one or
more Republicans would break from the fold, but that did not happen.

SB734
is the bill delineating how charter school applications will be handled if the
constitutional amendment, SJR6, passes.

A
final vote on the amendment is expected in the House of Friday, and the Senate
vote could come at any time.

On
the upside, VEA initiated SB564, Senator Norment’s bill to exclude records of an application for licensure or
renewal of a license for teachers and other school personnel, including
transcripts or other documents submitted in support of an application, from the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act gained final passage in the
Senate. The vote was 40-Y 0-N. Thanks, Tommy!

The
House Appropriation Committee Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary
Education reported both the LaRock voucher bill, HB389 and the Dickie Bell
virtual school bill, HB8.Both votes
were 3-Y 2-N party line votes.